For this evenings session we were again focusing on circuit training to help with Marlons cardio fitness, stamina and muscular endurance. Tonight’s session would follow the format of my R.E.P’s (Register of exercise professionals) MMA conditioning class. This circuit-based workout is currently being run by Fitness first health clubs around the UK on their exercise class timetables under the name Strike-fit. The workout uses a mixture of fight specific movements such as ground and pound and sprawling etc alongside plyometrics and resistance exercises to give you a high intensity session. Participant’s work through 4-6 rounds with each round lasting for 5 minutes. Rounds are made up of 5 exercises with each one either being done for 1 minute or for 30 seconds with each of the exercises being done twice. For this workout Marlon would be spending 30 seconds on each exercise. Rounds 1 and 3 would consist of one lot of 5 exercises with rounds 2 and 4 being made up of 5 different exercises. Once all 4 rounds were done we would finish off with a gut busting 5-minute challenge round.

Warm up:

For this workout the warm up is made up of shadow boxing. I would call out numbers 1-4 and Marlon would throw the corresponding combination, so for example number 1 was a single jab and 4 was a jab, cross, lead hook, rear uppercut.  As well as the numbers I would also call for front and rear knee strikes as well as the sprawl to help warm up the entire body.

Main workout:

The MMA conditioning class follows a set structure so that within a 5-minute round you will perform 1 exercise for upper body, lower body and core and 2 cardio based exercises.

Rounds 1 and 3.

Lower body: Step up to knee strike

Place one foot onto a step box. Push off the leg that’s on the step and as you do so bring the other leg up, forcefully driving the hips through to deliver the knee strike. Step back down and repeat, aiming to spend as little time with your foot on the ground as possible.

Cardio: Ground and pound

From either the mount position (knees either side of bag) or knee ride (one knee on, one leg off) throw a mixture of punches, elbows and hammerfists.

Upper body: Walk over step

Begin with both hands on a low step. Take one hand off the step and place it on the floor and perform a press up before returning your hand back onto the step and repeat to the other side.

Core: Crunch with med ball between knees.

Perform a basic crunch whilst keeping your legs in the air and holding a medicine ball that is positioned between your knees. This not only works your abdominal muscles but also the muscles used when holding someone in guard.

Cardio: Lateral jumps

Stand next to an object such as a low step, hurdles, powerbag etc and perform a 2 footed side jump. Aim to land soft by bending your knees on impact.

Rounds 2 and 4.

Lower body: Step jumps

Jump up onto a step box that is positioned in front of you, aiming to land soft by bending your knees on impact. Step back down and repeat.

Cardio: Ground and pound with armbar

Start in the mount position and throw 10 strikes before pushing yourself off the bag and throwing your left leg over the bag and falling to the left hand side. This forms the armbar position, which is a submission technique, used within MMA. From here scramble back onto the bag and repeat with an armbar to the right.

Upper body: Medicine ball strikes

Standing at arms length from a punch bag. Hold a heavy med ball in both hands and rapidly tap the bag. After each strike against the bag bring the ball back and tap your stomach. This exercise will help to improve the stamina in your forearms, which can benefit a fighter when it comes to grappling and clinching. It also gives your abdominals some impact training.

Core: Guard sit up

From a crunch position hold a medicine ball across your chest and then scramble to your feet without using your hands. Return to the floor and repeat.

Cardio: Sprawling.

From a standing position drop your hips to the floor as if defending a takedown. From here explode back up onto your feet. For this workout Marlon would throw a jab, cross into the focus pads each time he stood up.

Challenge round:

At the end of a MMA conditioning workout there is a 5 minute challenge round. This is designed to push people to their limits and simulate how it feels in the last few minutes of a MMA bout when faituge and latic acid really kicks in.

The challenge I used with Marlon used lateral jumps over a kick shield and ground and pound strikes. Place a shield on the floor and stand next to it. From here jump sideways over it and then back to your start position (this counts as 1 rep) then drop down and throw 5 strikes. Each time increase the jumps by 1 rep and the strikes by 5. I set Marlon the challenge of reaching 10 jumps with 50 strikes within 5 minutes. He completed it in under 4!

The video shows Marlon working through round 3.

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I am pleased to announce that Fitness First health clubs will be launching Strike-fit in the following  clubs in the next couple of weeks.

Mansfield

Solihull

Stoke

Manchester Gorton

Pontefract

Wakefield

Bradford Horton park

Moston

Manchester Central

Leeds

Chesterfield

For any more information regarding courses or classes please contact me.